Archive for August 2008

Okay now I understand politicians feel they need to try and please everyone, but at times they need to make a stand and take any heat sent their direction. We have a local county commissioner (Kevin S. Barnhardt) from Berks County, who disagrees with the request by two veteran groups (Disable American Veterans, Chapter 10, and Combined Veterans Council) that 11 POW-MIA flags be flown daily on county-owned properties.

Mr. Barnhardt is in his first term as commissioner, so I understand the desire to not want to upset many folks but his argument for not wanting to grant the Veterans their request of flying the flag daily is a typical please everyone response.

“Barnhardt said he respects the people who have defended the country, but he fears other groups, such as Mothers Against Drunk Driving and Years of Tears, would want equal treatment for their banners.”

Now I may be mistaken but does he think that those groups would even be a group if it weren’t for our brave men and women? I mean that is just a huge insult to our military who has only 1 concrete mission in mind, and that is to keep us Americans safe and sound, and to give us the opportunity to be free.

How is it that our government wants to rely on our brave men and women whenever it suits them, but when those brave souls ask for a flag to be flown so that their missing brothers and sisters know they have not been forgotten, there has to be some resistance?

Commissioner Barnhardt was curious as to what he was suppose to say to other groups that he felt may want the same privilege of flying their flags.

“There are 89 murderers still on the loose,” he said, referring to Years of Tears, an organization of family and friends of victims of unsolved murders and suspicious deaths. “Are you going to tell them no?”

Commissioner Christian Y. Leinbach, had this to the point answer, “Absolutely!”

“That flag is a guarantee that if something happens to my son who serves in the United States Air Force, there are people who will do everything to bring him back home,” he said.

It sure is good to see that some of our elected officials still look up to our military. Commissioner Leinbach was going to draft a policy for a vote Thursday that would require the flag be flown daily on county-owned flagpoles.

Commission Chairman Mark C. Scott said he respected all the opinions expressed, but did not indicate how he would vote.

Is it just me, or does the fact that the MSM, has not touch the story about Mayor Michael Bloomberg and his recent idea of changing the term limits, so that he could serve a 3rd Term if reelected bother anyone else?

Mayor Bloomberg is considering extending term limits through a deal with the City Council that would allow him another four years, while also boosting lawmakers’ time in office, sources told The Post.

Bloomberg has publicly said he intends to leave when his term ends on Dec. 31, 2009, but has privately expressed interest in undoing the city’s cap of two four-year terms with a legislative change, not a public referendum, sources said.

Bloomberg has recently indicated he believes he has plenty of time next year to work out an arrangement with the council, sources said.“It’s more ‘yes’ than ‘no’ right now,” a source said. “They think they have time to wait until after the [November] election.”

Extending term limits through legislation could be controversial, because some believe they can be changed only through a public referendum.

The Post first reported in April that Bloomberg was contemplating a move on term limits.

Bloomberg and council Speaker Christine Quinn both denied a deal is being considered.

“As the mayor has said again and again, and as recently as yesterday, he expects to serve out his second term, and then turn the office over to someone else,” Bloomberg spokesman Stu Loeser said.

Quinn “has never spoken to the mayor or anyone in this administration about this,” said her spokesman, Jamie McShane.

Yeah I know, you’re thinking I’m nuts but just sit and think about it. How far fetched is the idea really? I mean the newly appointed Governor of N.Y. (Governor David Patterson) thinks it is just a wonderful idea.